Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine matches volunteer adults to boys and girls, from families or group homes, who have need of a mentor and adult role model. The goal of the program is for the Big Brother or Sister to become a positive role model who provides guidance, encouragement and friendship to a child during his/her most important developmental years. The matches share similar backgrounds and usually come from the same geographic area. General program goals include: 1. Reducing a young person's likelihood of getting into trouble and lashing out violently. 2 Enhance positive self-esteem and self-confidence. 3. Improve communication and socialization skills. 4. Keep students in school and improve school performance. 5. Prevent a child from using drugs and/or alcohol. Specific goals and objectives exist for each special program.